The Indian National Movement is a story of trials and tribulations, of a struggle that lives on to this day. It’s not just a tale of revolutionary actions and mass movements, but a saga of political organisations and deep intellectual awakening. This struggle was not only fuelled by the actions of political leaders but also by the ideas and philosophies of political thinkers who played a significant role in shaping the course of this movement. Indian Political thought has evolved over several centuries and it has had a profound impact on thinkers across periods. These intellectual architects crafted the philosophical scaffolding upon which the movement was built, influencing generations of freedom fighters and shaping the future of India.

In the context of contemporary nationalism, this article examines the key theories and ideologies that influenced Indian political thinking, emphasising the intellectuals and movements that helped Indian nationalism gain traction and how it paved the way for a varied and democratic India. Indian nationalism did not, however, emerge overnight. It was the result of centuries' worth of historical, social, and cultural forces.

Several reform movements emerged in India throughout the 19th century, challenging the country's preexisting political and social systems. These movements were crucial in developing the sense of nationalism and influencing political philosophy. Ideas and thoughts of leaders and reformers like Dayananda Saraswati’s ‘Shudhi Movement’, Vivekananda’s ‘Vedanta’, Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s ideas on ‘Rights and Liberty’, Gandhi’s idea of ‘Swaraj, Satyagraha and Ahimsa’, Nehru’s ‘Secularism’, Tagore’s ‘Humanism’, Gokhale, Savarkar’s ‘Hindutva’ and many others aimed to educate the Indian populace about the value of cultural revival and the necessity of social change in India.